Category: Podcasts

Do you listen to podcasts? Or am I speaking a foreign language simply mentioning them?

I first dipped my toes in ever-so-briefly and then jumped back out of the pod-filled water nearly four years ago now. And up until the beginning of this year I would still have been in the foreign language crowd. I had a vague notion that I might be missing out and that it was something worth checking out again.

So, about four months ago I tried again, starting with the folk at Freakonomics Radio. Choosing to listen to episodes that sounded interesting led me back to the water and suddenly there I was, splashing and duck-diving in to the wide world of podcasts. I’ve subscribed to quite a few and ditched almost as many. Then I hit Gretchen Rubin’s Happier podcast and I’ve been addicted to my Wednesday night hit ever since.

I even have several children’s story-telling podcasts now, ostensibly for when we’re away or travelling and could do with a bit of variety in our listening entertainment. Look out for Storynory and see what your kids think. In the self-help and simplifying your life area, the very popular for good reason, Zen Habits blog has a podcast at Zen Habits Radio.

On the home education front I’m giving Stories of an Unschooling Family a go and it looks very promising. And my newest trial will be with Elizabeth Gilbert’s Magic Lessons, starting this week. I’ll let you know how that one goes.

Naturally I can’t go without putting in a word for the large choice out of the BBC. With them it’s rather a case of what not to listen to. Please don’t get too lost in the myriad of choices. (If you think I’m joking, I’m not. They have close to 500 podcasts!) I’m restricting myself to one at a time, and currently that means I’m slowly working my way through A History of the World in 100 Objects.

Folk have been happy to recommend a number of podcasts to me, and my list of trialists is growing.

Rate this:

I have finally stepped into the world of the podcast.
Excuse me if I’m a little late on the scene, but I’ve caught up at last.

What a fun way to waste spend yet more of the little free time that I already have.
Tonight, for instance, to get in the mood for this blog entry I watched an old episode of Jamie’s Ministry of Food and listened to a couple of very old (2008) podcasts from the wonderful Stephen Fry.

Oh a whole new way to use up the monthly bandwidth and avoid what passes for television in this country.

So what are you waiting for? Is the rubbish “reality” television programming with a side order of infomercials driving you to the edge of sanity? Do you think that your brain is being sucked dry by such drivel? Well, choose your own input. Go podcast browsing and see what you might like to have enter your home instead of taking whatever some programme buyer thinks will sell more advertising spots.

I am thinking that I might just start some link love to podcasts of note.
What do you think? Would you like to know what’s out there?

Do you have links to share? One podcast newbie is all ears – please share.

—
Just a side note for Tori: There’s a Freakonomics Radio podcast. I can’t remember if you said you enjoyed the book or not* so I thought I would mention it.
* that’s why you need a blog. 🙂 So I can check my facts.